Volleyball’s Season Ends in KCAC Tournament First Round

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Avila volleyball's 2023 campaign came to an end on Tuesday night in Springfield, where the No. 11-seeded Eagles (7-20) fell to No. 6-seed Evangel (14-13) in straight sets in the first round of the 2023 KCAC Volleyball Tournament.

For the second straight season, Avila had to face an opponent in the first round of the postseason that they faced in that last week of the regular season. Last year it was Southwestern, and this year it was Evangel, who the Eagles had just faced in the Ashcroft Center last Wednesday. Less than a week later, the KCAC's two Missouri teams met up again in the postseason where, unfortunately for the Eagles, the result was the same: a three-set victory for the Valor.

Facing a familiar foe in their first postseason game as members of the KCAC, the Valor came out firing, holding the Eagles to a negative hitting percentage in the first set and prevailing 25-11. But if the Eagles were fazed by their first set performance or the magnitude of a postseason match, they did not show it. Avila was much improved over the next two sets in all phases of the game – attacking, passing and net play – and played Evangel much tougher over the following two frames.

In the end, however, the scores were different but the result was the same. Evangel won the final two sets to knock out Avila in the first round of the 2023 KCAC Volleyball Tournament. The Valor will advance to play Bethel, the tournament's No. 3 seed, later this week at Hutchinson Sports Arena.

Different players shone brightly for the Valor in this game compared to their win over Avila last week, a testament to Avila's defense and scouting but also Evangel's offense and versatility. Mallory Dick led all players with 14 kills on a .300 hit percentage while Bella Wakley added ten kills on .280 hitting. Maddie Jones finished off her standout freshman season with a team-best nine kills, and Siobhan Dittmer added six with two total blocks. Kyleighn Block concluded her Avila career with nine digs.

Avila has now qualified for the postseason all three years under head coach Marylyn Mozena and will pivot their push for their first playoff win since 2020-21 to next fall. Avila volleyball has consistently worked to rebuild and restock the program over the past couple of year, and with the current corps of underclassmen in line to return, the Eagles will look to regroup and attack next season as a candidate for a higher tournament seed and a trip to Hutchinson and beyond.